As president, Jefferson got a chance to put his theory of Jeffersonian republicanism into practice. This was a belief that the people should control the government and that government should be simple and small. Jefferson reduced the size of the military and lowered government expenses. He was the first president to take office in the new federal capital, Washington, D. C. He also was the first of three consecutive presidents from Virginia, showing the rise in importance of the South in American politics. How did Jefferson’s actions reflect his philosophy of government?